.  §44 Proceedings. wee 
argued that such an important problem as that involved in the Newtonian 
theory should never have been accepted as proved without experimental a 
demonstration. After entering fully into Newton’s and Laplace’s theories, ee 
Mr. Falkner stated that the hypotheses assumed that the path of a body <n 
propelled in free space by an impulse, or travelling tangentially at uniform - be 
velocity, and attracted to a centre with a force varying inversely as the ; 
square of its distance from that centre, is an ellipse of which the attracting 
_ centre is in one focus (or a similar conic section), and an orbit similar to 
the planetary and cometary. This assumption he denied, and affirmed that 
the path of a body subject to an impulse, or its equivalent, moving in free 
space, and subject to any central force, is such a figure that the attracting 
point is in its centre, or at the intersection of its axes. He supported this 
affirmation by viewing the assumption in its extremes, and endeavoured to 
show it as contradicting the axiom that “action and re-action are contrary 
_ and equal,” and explaining his own conclusions and their agreement with 
: the results of his experiments. He then reviewed current graphic methods, 
and pointed out where he considered the errors had been made, 
explained and discussed the apparatus. 
Mr. M. Chapman contended that the matter was not one that could be deatt ‘with 
: by experiment, but must be dealt with by mathematical investigation. He could not 
_ believe in Mr. Falkner’s results for a single instant. 
The ems expressed a hope that Mr. Falkner would not upset the ‘* Nautical 
- Mr. Takase then advanced the statement that astronomy really rested on Kepler's 
laws, and not on Newton’s explanations of them, the most important of which, like 80 : 
__ many previous problems in dynamics solved deductively, when put to the test proved quite 
. 
2. “ New Cuttle Fish,” by T. W. Kirk. (Transactions, p. 283). 
8. “ List of Sertularians collected in Wellington,” by T. W. Kirk. 
__ 4, “ Abnormal Colouring in the Kokako,” by T. W. Kirk. i 
(1.) Glaucopis wilsoni—The first notice of albinism in New Zealand 
_ representatives of this genus will be found on page 154 of Dr. Buller’s 
“Birds of New Zealand.” The specimen is a partial albino shot by Mr. 
iH. H. Travers at the foot of Mount Franklin, and is of the usual colour 
with the exception of a few white feathers on the neck, head, back, and 
Se Ga ectiie ass ca oe 
 (2.) Glaucopis cinerea—An albino of this iecans was - caught om ‘the 
‘Rimutaka Range in 1877, and kept alive for several months by Mr. G. 
__ Elliotte, proprietor of the Pakuratahi Hotel, during which time it became 
quite tame, and would, I am informed, feed from the hand. The : 
Se plumage Was pure slate, te, nodes ae the 
